A Picture Tour of Fort Hartsuff Nebraska

[Delmonico]

I have gotton my pictures sorted through, I wish I would have got more, but was to busy with the cooking, when I have a fire going I need to be there or have someone else there so it don't cause problems.  The first time I burn down a Historical Site, my reputation is ruined.

Anyway, Fort Hartsuff was build on the North Loup River in 1874 to protect settlers in the area from the Lakota and to protect the Pawnee further east.  It was named after General George Hartsuff, a hero of the Civil War who had recently died.  It was constucted of poured concrete made of local materials and was the only Indian Wars fort built as such.  It was considered a good assignment due to the quality of the housing.  It only ever had stationed at any time one company of infantry.  It was abandoned in the summer of 1881, the army no longer having the need for it.  In it's whole time of use, there was only on minor skirmish with the Lakota, resulting in one death on each side.

The fort was donated to the state in 1961 and it was restored in the 1970's

A map of the fort.



1. Post Headquarters.



2. Enlisted Men's Barracks



3. Officers Quarters



The pine trees were planted in 1876.

4. Commanding Officers Quarters



5. Post Hospital



6. Quartermaster's Storehouse



7. Post Bakery, Laundress Quarters and Quartermaster's Quarters



8. Quartermaster's Stables

Didn't get a picture.

9. Guardhouse.



Shot of the wardroom in the barracks.



The bunk I slept in, no those are not army issue blankets, but it got down to about 25 and I didn't want to light both heating stoves.



And a shot of the walls of concrete, the upper part of a slightly different color is from the restoration.



My set up out behind the barracks.



And the 37 star flag on the 90 foot tall flag pole.

[Trinity]

Cool!  Thanks Del.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Great pictures, Del. Thanks.

Slim

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Great photos, Del. I really love to see places like that. Many thanks.

[Wymore Wrangler]

I've been there twice, as great as Del's pictures are, they don't do justice to Fort Harsuff, you really need to experience this place in person, and take in the vastness of the surrounding countryside....

[Mean Mongrel Matt]

Great photo's ....Looks like a great place to see ..

Mongrel

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Del,
Great Photos, that's going to be one of our stops when we head out west this year....

OCB

[Delmonico]

Well worth the trip, for folks going to The Black Hills from the east it really is not much differance than going I-80 as far as time, in fact the route I took from Lincoln beat Googles time est. to the fort by about 20 minutes and I didn't run over the limit except to pass a time or two, I went 92 most of the way.  The side trip through the Sandhills is one everyone should take sometime, my favorite place is up there.  Wish I would have had a couple more days, I would have wandered around up there a bit more.